Lorenzo Carter Bio
Lorenzo Lemuel Carter is an American former professional football linebacker who spent seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the New York Giants and the Atlanta Falcons before finishing his career with the Tennessee Titans. Carter played his college football at the University of Georgia and was selected by the Giants in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Born and raised in the American South, Carter developed into a pass-rushing linebacker known for his length, athleticism, and special-teams impact. Across his NFL career, he appeared in more than 100 regular-season games, recording 21.5 sacks, 278 total tackles, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 18 pass deflections, two interceptions, and two touchdowns.
Early Life and Background
Lorenzo Lemuel Carter was born on December 10, 1995, in Memphis, Tennessee. He grew up in the southeastern United States and attended Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia, where he emerged as one of the most promising defensive prospects in the country. At Norcross, he lined up primarily as a defensive end and quickly developed the physical tools that would later define his professional profile.
After his senior season in 2013, Carter was named to the USA Today All-USA High School Football Team, a recognition that placed him among the elite high school defenders of his class. Rated as a four-star recruit, he drew scholarship offers from a long list of top college programs, including Alabama, Florida, LSU, and Notre Dame. He ultimately chose to continue his career in the Southeast, committing to play college football at the University of Georgia.
Path to American Football
Carter’s progression from high school standout to NFL prospect followed a steady, well-documented path. He enrolled at Georgia and joined a defensive pipeline that produced multiple professional edge rushers during the same era. Working under head coaches Mark Richt and later Kirby Smart, Carter earned early playing time as a true freshman, appearing in 13 games with five starts and winning the University of Georgia Newcomer of the Year award.
As he developed, Carter considered leaving early for the NFL but announced after the 2016 season that he would return for his senior year. Across his college career, he played in 54 games with 26 starts, recording 166 total tackles, 14 sacks, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown. His senior performance in 2017 earned him Second-Team All-Southeastern Conference honors and helped solidify his status as a top edge-rushing prospect entering the 2018 NFL draft.
Lorenzo Carter Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
The New York Giants selected Carter in the third round, 66th overall, of the 2018 NFL draft, making him the eighth linebacker taken that year. He signed a four-year rookie contract worth about $4.08 million, including a $1.04 million signing bonus. In Week 3 of his rookie season, Carter recorded his first professional sack against the Houston Texans, signaling his ability to pressure NFL quarterbacks from the edge.
By his second season, Carter had grown into a featured pass rusher. In 2019, he forced a fumble on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady that was recovered for a touchdown, and he finished the year second on the Giants with 4.5 sacks. Those early performances established him as a contributor on a defense in transition and set the stage for a larger role the following year.
New York Giants Breakthrough (2020–2021)
Carter entered the 2020 season as one of the Giants’ starting pass rushers, but his campaign was cut short. In Week 5, he suffered a ruptured Achilles and was placed on season-ending injured reserve, ending what had looked like a breakout year. The injury tested his durability but did not change his long-term role in the team’s defensive plans.
Carter returned healthy in 2021 and made an immediate impact. In Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys, he recorded his first career interception, picking off quarterback Dak Prescott. Across his four seasons with the Giants, Carter grew from a rotational rookie into a multi-year starter, logging sacks, tackles for loss, and special-teams contributions while helping mentor younger edge defenders.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2022–2024)
Carter signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons on March 22, 2022, worth up to $3.5 million, including $2 million in guarantees. The move gave him an opportunity to take on a three-down role on a rebuilding defense. He responded with his most complete statistical season, starting all 17 games and recording 58 total tackles, four sacks, one fumble recovery, one interception, and a defensive touchdown.
Among the highlights of his Falcons tenure was a special-teams touchdown in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams, when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone, and a pick-six against Carolina Panthers quarterback P. J. Walker in Week 8. On March 7, 2023, Carter re-signed with Atlanta on a two-year contract worth up to $9 million, with $5.25 million guaranteed. In 2023, he played all 17 games with one start, recording 35 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, a career-high two fumble recoveries, and a pass deflection, cementing his reputation as a reliable veteran presence.
Tennessee Titans Era (2025)
On March 20, 2025, Carter signed with the Tennessee Titans, joining a defense looking to add experienced pass-rush help. His signing marked the third NFL stop of his career and positioned him to contribute as both a pass rusher and a special-teams veteran. The move reunited him with a familiar NFC South opponent environment and gave the Titans a proven rotational edge defender.
However, Carter’s time in Tennessee proved brief. On July 22, 2025, he announced his retirement from the NFL, bringing a close to a seven-year professional career that spanned three teams and more than 100 regular-season games.
Driving Style and Strengths
Carter built his game on a combination of length, leverage, and explosive first-step quickness. At 6 feet 5 inches and 264 pounds, he had the frame to set the edge against the run while also bending and flatten around offensive tackles as a pass rusher. He showed consistent effort on special teams throughout his career, blocking punts, recovering fumbles, and returning turnovers for touchdowns, which helped him remain a three-phase contributor even when his defensive snaps fluctuated.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Carter’s career were his first NFL sack against the Houston Texans in 2018, his forced fumble on Tom Brady in 2019, his first interception off Dak Prescott in 2021, and his special-teams and defensive touchdowns during the 2022 season with Atlanta. He finished his career with 21.5 sacks and two touchdowns, the latter coming on a fumble return and an interception return in the same season.
Lorenzo Carter Career Wins
Carter did not win a major individual NFL award during his professional career, but he earned steady recognition as a productive edge defender and core special-teams player. His most notable honor came at the college level, when he was named Second-Team All-Southeastern Conference in 2017 following his senior season at Georgia.
Professional Highlights
Across his seven NFL seasons, Carter appeared in more than 100 regular-season games, starting 36 of them. He recorded 21.5 sacks, 278 total tackles, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 18 pass deflections, two interceptions, and two touchdowns. His first career sack came against the Houston Texans in Week 3 of the 2018 season, and his most recent full season came in 2023 with the Atlanta Falcons, when he posted 35 tackles and three sacks while playing in all 17 games.
Other Performances
Beyond the NFL, Carter was a decorated high school and college player, earning USA Today All-USA High School Football Team honors in 2013 and serving as a multi-year starter for the Georgia Bulldogs from 2014 through 2017. He finished his college career with 166 total tackles, 14 sacks, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown, in addition to receiving the University of Georgia Newcomer of the Year award as a freshman.
Lorenzo Carter Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Lorenzo Lemuel Carter’s immediate family is limited. He was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, and later moved to Georgia, where he attended Norcross High School. Details about his parents and any other relatives involved in athletics are not widely documented in verified sources.
Personal Life
Carter has generally kept his personal life private. There is no widely confirmed public information regarding a spouse, partner, or children. His social media presence, including an Instagram account under his name, has been used primarily to share updates about his football career.
2025 Season Performance
Carter’s 2025 season with the Tennessee Titans was a brief chapter rather than a full campaign. He signed with the team on March 20, 2025, as a free-agent addition aimed at strengthening the Titans’ pass-rush rotation. His arrival gave Tennessee a veteran with seven years of NFL experience, including 21.5 career sacks and proven production on special teams.
However, Carter announced his retirement from the NFL on July 22, 2025, just months after joining the Titans. As a result, he did not record any regular-season statistics in 2025, and his retirement closed a career that spanned the 2018 through 2024 regular seasons across two teams before the planned 2025 campaign.
Looking back, the 2025 signing served as a final professional stop rather than a launching point for a new chapter. Carter exited the league having played for the New York Giants, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Tennessee Titans, leaving behind a reputation as a durable, versatile edge defender and reliable special-teams contributor.